Archive for the 'U.S. President' Category
First Term Illinois Sen. Barack Obama Jr. has been elected the 44th President of these United States.
At the 11th Hour, the 47-year-old clinched the electoral total needed and then some. The popular vote as of 1:00am Maryland time, gave Obama (D) a four percent edge over Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)
NBC News says that 125,000 were jammed into Hyde Park in Chicago where he proclaimed victory.
McCain conceded shortly after the tally was clinched and said that Obama achieved something great for himself and for the country. He made his conession speech from Arizona. McCain also acknowledged how this achievement means alot for African-Americans.
We learn from The Baltimore Sun that outgoing U.S. Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-Dist. 1) has kicked bi-partisanship up a notch by saying on WYPR (88.1FM) that he strongly support the presidential ticket of (wait for it) Illinois Senator Barack Obama and Delaware Senator Joe Biden.
This is not the first time Gilchrest has jumped to the Democratic side, earlier this month, he was in a television ad giving his stamp of approval to Queen Anne’s County State’s Attorney Frank Kratovil (D) as his successor.
A spokesman for the congressional campaign of Baltimore/Harford Sen. Andy Harris (R-Dist. 7) says that Gilchrest’s comments during the radio interview shows he no longer represents the values of the first. Harris defeated Gilchrest in the primary back in February. This might be another occasion for sour grapes on Gilchrest’s part, keep in mind many do not view him as conservative enough, despite the backing of popular conservatives like Newt Gingrich.
Last night at the Chizuk Amuno Congregation in Pikesville, a debate and discussion was held on the 2008 Presidential contest between Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) and Sen. John McCain (D-AZ). Representing Sen. McCain was former Governor Robert Ehrlich (R) and representing Sen. Obama was U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D).
The forum was presentred by the Chizuk Amuno Congregation along with the Baltimore Jewish Council, The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore and The Israel Project.
Among the topics discussed was the separation of church and state, middle east peace, health care reform, Iran, social security, where the U.S. Embassy in Israel should be and, of course, the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Look for my impressions of this forum on PolitickerMD.com real soon. Also special thanks to fellow Maryland Blogger Alliance member Soccer Dad for passing along the tip for this event…and for taking a picture of me with Governor Ehrlich last night.
Governor Martin O’Malley (D) tells PolitickerMD.com that he received a phone call 20 minutes before the roll call at the Democratic National Convention in Denver from someone who in my view threw him a life raft as far as keeping his hopes for higher aspirations alive, now-Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama.
O’Malley says that Obama wanted to be sure that he was involved as much as possible. O’Malley also said that the junior Illinois Senator wanted him to be involved even more on the policy level in addition to beinf a co-chair of the campaign in Maryland, and that’s not all.
“He asked me if I would travel for him this fall and I told him I’ll go anywhere do anything that you ask,” the Governor said.
O’Malley always had the long time speculation of aspiring for higher since his days as Mayor of Baltimore. Four years ago, he was a shining star in the party with a prime speaking role at the convention then. Four years later, the person he supported for the nomination, Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY), did not win the free state primary, let alone the nod. O’Malley’s job approval is well below 50 percent, hovering in the 30s and at this year’s convention, he did not have ANY speaking time.
This was the picture from last May as Governor Martin O’Malley (D) jumped onto the Hill-dog bandwagon. Well, we all know what happened earlier this month. Hillary threw in the towel after her plan to take all of the delegates in Michigan and Florida went for naught and Sen. HIllary Clinton (D-NY) suspended her presidential campaign and threw her support behind Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) thus ending a potential replay of Chicago 1968 in which it seemed everyone including then CBS News reporter Dan Rather got beat down.
Now word comes from The Baltimore Sun that O’Malley will be backing Obama. The governor plans on flying out to Chicago to take part in a unity event in which the subject will be the economy.
As the ballots are cast in Indiana and North Carolina right now, news in The Baltimore Sun this morning reports that the top of the Maryland Democratic Party, chairman Michael Cryor and vice chairman Lauren Glover are throwing their support behind Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) to carry the presidential nomination.
They, along with the Clinton campaign, acknowledge the end is going to happen through super delegates, as opposed to the primary process.
From the “how the hell did I miss this one” department:
Alan Keyes announced in Hazelton, Pa. on tax day that he was leaving the Republican Party and is looking to possibly join a party the even more conservative Constitution Party.
The Gazette reporting that Keyes, to the surprise of your’s truly and probably everyone else, was running for President this year. His odds are about the same as me winning Multi-Match from the Maryland Lottery. The perennial candidate has ran for President in 1996, 2000 and 2004. He has also ran for the Maryland Senate in 1988 and 1992. He also ran against current Democratic Presidential hopeful Barack Obama in 2004 for the Seante seat from Illinois, which earned the retort from comedian Lewis Black, “He’s so anti-gay, he doesn’t believe in same state office.”
The Darnestown, Montgomery County resident called presumptive GOP Presidential candidate U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) “too liberal.” Keyes adds that he believes that people deserve a conservative choice. He is hoping for a third party bid when the Constitution Party chooses it’s nominee.
Alan, on behalf of all Black Republicans….thank you for leaving.
As I continue to sort through the latest Gonzales Research poll, this time looking at the U.S. Presidential side of Free Vote 1008. Not much to write here, Maryland is still a Democratic stronghold and U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) would not win if he wanted too. As the saying goes, the devil’s in the details.
If the Democratic nominee is U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL), McCain would lose by 14 percent (51-37 in Obama’s favor). Should U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) win the nomination, McCain would only lose by seven percent (47-40)
Obama polled stronger with independents, who was favored over McCain (45-28) unlike Clinton who trailed McCain by two percent (33-35).
PolitickerMD.com has leanred from Politcal Wire that former Lt. Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend (D) has urged presidential hopeful U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) to drop out of the race.
This is due to the fact that Clinton has lost ten primaries in a row to U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL)
If anyone is an expert on when a contest is over, it is KKT. She lost to Robert Ehrlich in the 2002 gubernatorial race.
NBC News is projecting that John McCain won the GOP side of the Primary, while Obama claimed the Democrats in Maryland.
For McCain and Obama, it is a clean sweep of the C&P Primary as the two men claimed victories in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Virginia.
Congressional Results to follow as soon as available.
I have a special opinion about the primary contest for the United States President, this comes in light of recent events. This message or shouty goes to the Conservative wing of my party, the Republican Party, especially the ones further to the right than I am.
I guess this can go back to the day when conservatives mourned the dropping out of Fred Thompson from the race. I never saw so many sad faces on conservatives, since former President Bill Clinton got a pass on his impeachment trial…I considered myself a Democrat back then. But the backlash that soon followed from conservatives who either would support Mitt Romney who is a great flip-flopper than John Kerry or just skip the process altogether.
Conservatives, I implore…I ask of you…to please….STOP YOUR FRIGGIN’ BITCHING!
Here is the problem as your Friendly Uncle PKB sees it. I can say Uncle PKB because I have been one since January 5. On the Democratic side, you have Barack Obama who can bring people together, but two things are going to hold him back. Number one, Guilty White Liberals. I will refer you to my comment from earlier this month on why I think Obama will lose, although this go round, he not only established some great name recognition, but he also made the Black Boy Network look bad.  Number two, Experience. Obama, for me and a lot of people (across the spectrum for the record), does not have enough experience. While I don’t think he should wait until 2016 as former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young suggested, I would have liked to see him wait until he completed his first term as Senator before jumping in. I would at least give Hillary Clinton credit for at least winning another term in the Senate.
Speaking of which, Clinton will divide this country further apart. I know that the Republicans on Capitol Hill would stifle her at the drop of a hat. Don’t expect this great Democratic tidal wave come November. I am of the belief that things in the legislative branch, particularly the Senate, will stay the same. But I have a great problem with people who develop a completely different dialect at the drop of a hat to pander to people. If you are a Democrat and believes that Clinton can bring the country together across party lines, I’m not going to sugar coat it, you are crazy.
Now to my party. Let me start with Fred Thompson who was disorganized right out of the gate. If the man cannot organize a campaign, he cannot organize the government, especially if he plans on limiting the role of government in peoples lives. Plus, Thompson did not look all that healthy to me. Imagine what he would look like after four years on the job.
Speaking of campaigning clusterbucks, Rudy Giuliani. He should not win because he is an arrogant, dishonest creep. No pun intended on the creep. We are talking about someone who wanted to move his estrange wife out of the official residence during his term as Mayor of New York Ctiy, with the kids, and move his creeper in. He doesn’t have any moral integrity what so ever.
This came abundantly clear where two unarmed black men were shot by the NYPD. He defended the actions of the NYPD both times without any reservations. The second incident involving Patrick Dorismond prompted Giuliani to release a SEALED juvenile record. I don’t care if the guy is dead, if the record is sealed, it should not see the light of day, let alone a press conference. I should also note that people complain about how President Bush talks, have they heard Giuliani?
Then you have Duncan Hunter and Tom Tancredo, the two men who want to fence off America. Sorry guys, it’s a lot easier to enforce the law than to build a 700-mile waste of taxpayer money. Trust me, I know, ask Arizona.
Your best choice for President is either Mike Huckabee or John McCain. Remember, I don’t endorse people on this forum. Huckabee because he is not trying to fence off the borders. McCain because he doesn’t always tow the company line.
Let me remind you what people should be looking for in a United States President…A LEADER. Someone who will make the decision based on what is good for the country, not what’s good for prideful arguments.
For the past eight years, except for the time after 9-11, there has been nothing but petty partisan squabbling which came to a head in the 2006 election. This is evident by Maryland paying the price through higher taxes. Under normal circumstances, a Governor with that high of job approval rating would not get voted out of office.  Once the Democrats got control of the Congress, the attempts at making more political points became worse.
Now I know what you are thinking, “Kenny, that’s politics.” Well, this goes beyond politics. We are in a war, where our soldiers are half a world a way and House Democrats are playing with their paychecks and ultimately, their families here at home. The Republicans are not fighting for what is best for the country, they are fight a battle of trying to keep the conservative movement alive. The contenders are more worried about their philosophy winning out.
Believe me when I say that the conservative movement is not dead, nor it is dying. People in the patry like me do not want the Republicans to take a hard turn. Look at how wonderful making a hard turn is working out for the Democrats. Republicans need to get back to the simple core values of the party and two other things. Stop trying to build a fence and stop making Ronald Reagan into an idol.
America will benefit more from a united Republican Party, than a united conservative front. Anyone who says they would rather not vote in any election, has slapped this country in the face. People have died for our right to vote in a free nation, and people are still dying. The least you can do is to go vote on February 12.
P. Kenneth Burns is the editor/writer of Maryland Politics Today and is a contributor to Red Maryland. He lives in Laurel, Prince George’s County. His email is kennyburns@marylandpolitics.us.
I have determined recently that the Democratic primary is very divisive and bad for America. Hold on, not for the reason you might think. But this primary election is dividing everyone including households…well, maybe just one.
The Gazette has a story of College Park Councilman Mark Cook (Dist. 3) who is supporting Barack Obama, while wife Sylvia is supporting Hillary.
